Arthur Louis Explained

Arthur Louis
Alias:Black Cat
Birth Name:Louis Arthur Bulgin
Birth Place:Jamaica
Birth Date:21 June 1945
Death Date:[1]
Death Place:Surbiton, England
Instrument:Vocals, guitar
Genre:Rock, blues, reggae
Occupation:Musician, songwriter, arranger
Years Active:1968–2014
Label:Island, Mango, Plum, Crown, Mainstreet, Philips, Wetbird, Fresh Air, Pandisc, Black Cat, Solid
Past Member Of:Terminal Stations, Eric Clapton, Gene Chandler

Arthur Louis (21 June 1945[2] – 24 December 2014) was a British rock, blues and reggae cross-over musician. His surname is pronounced as luːɪs (Lewis) and he held British nationality.[2] He released three solo albums and was responsible for introducing the work of musician Mike Oldfield to Virgin Records.[3]

Early life

Born in Jamaica, Louis moved to Brooklyn with his family at a young age. In his late teens he attended Michigan State University where he joined and toured with the band Terminal Stations, in Brazil and Germany.[4]

Career

At the beginning of his career Louis toured with terminal stations. He recorded his debut album Knockin' on Heaven's Door in 1974, which featured Eric Clapton[5] and Gene Chandler.[6] The title song, a reggae blues version of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" was released as a single in July 1975,[7] a week before Eric Clapton released his own interpretation of Louis's arrangement, of the same song.[8] Louis's release received attention but was over shadowed by Clapton's, which featured Louis's "Someone Like You" as the B-side. Louis's album Knocking on Heaven's Door, eventually climbed to #6 in International charts.[9]

In 1991 the German record label Discovery Sounds licensed and re-mastered his debut album, Knockin' on heaven's door and the subsequent release revived interest in his music. Later renewed interest from Japan prompted the release of his second album Back From Palookaville (1998).[10]

By 2006 Louis was making concert appearances in Europe once more, which re-established him in countries such as Italy and Spain. In December 2008, he appeared on BBC Radio 2's Paul Jones Show.[11] In 2009 he released his third album Black Cat,[12] a retrospective album which included new songs such as the title track "Black Cat".[13] In the same year he played with his band at the London launch of 'Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues'. On 23 August the same year he appeared in London again with Bobby Tench, Jim Cregan and Roger Chapman.[14]

Musical style and influence

Louis's use of modern blues rock has been compared with Taj Mahal[15] and Peter Brown's review of the album Black Cat (2009), stated that Louis was "the personification of easy electric blues" and that he brought "new energy and expression to the form".[16]

He was an established reggae, blues and rock cross-over artist and his interpretation of Bob Dylan's song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" brought him international attention. When writing about the re-release of Louis's "Knockin' on Heaven's door" in 1991, journalist Phil Parker mentioned Louis's influence on Clapton's reggae interpretations.[17] Other songs which exemplify his work in this genre are, his version of Dylan's "I shall be released" and "If I ever needed you" co-written with Scott English, both from Back from Palookaville.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Knocking on Heaven's Door (Arthur Louis arrangement)

Arthur Louis's arrangement of the Bob Dylan song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" first appeared on Louis's album "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (1974)

also appears on

Someone like You (Arthur Louis song)

Louis's version of this song originally appeared on his album Knockin' on Heaven's Door (1974)

also appears on

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bulgin, Louis Arthur. Telegraph Announcements. Telegraph Media Group. 29 January 2015. London, UK. 22 January 2015. 4 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150204220054/http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/186533/bulgin. dead.
  2. Web site: Arthur Louis directors details, Companies House. duedil.com. 30 January 2015.
  3. Book: Losing my virginity: How I've survived, had fun, and made a fortune doing business my way. Vol 1. Richard Branson. Times Business, 1999. 114.
  4. Web site: Arthur Louis . tfmusic.co.uk . 4 February 2015.
  5. Web site: Arthur Louis, Knockin' on Heaven's Door. allmusic.com. 4 February 2015.
  6. Book: Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton. Schumacher, Michael. Hyperion Press. 373.
  7. Book: Billboard, Top Single Picks Vol:87, No:32. 8 September 1975. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 70.
  8. Book: Billboard, Top Single Picks Vol:87, No:33. 16 August 1975. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 78.
  9. Book: Arthur Louis International Rock and Blues Legend. Black Cat Records. 1–4. 2009.
  10. Web site: Arthur Louis. Back from Palookaville. discogs.co.uk. 5 February 2015.
  11. Web site: Arthur Louis, Paul Jones Show BBC Radio 2. bbc.com. December 2008. 31 October 2010.
  12. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p99528|pure_url=yes}} Arthur Louis]. allmusic.com. 2 August 2010.
  13. Book: Black Cat CD. Wet Bird Productions. 2008.
  14. Book: Leslie Fran. Interview with Bobby Tench. Blues In Britain. 18,19,20 Vol 1 issue 94. October 2009.
  15. Web site: Review of Arthur Louis album, BlackCat. Sargeant, Pete. fairhearing.co.uk. 2 August 2010.
  16. Web site: Reviews 'L' Arthur Louis, Black Cat. Peter Brown. toxicpete.co.uk. 7 January 2009. 2 August 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120428113929/http://www.toxicpete.co.uk/. 28 April 2012. dmy-all.
  17. Book: Review of Arthur Louis's Knockin' On Heaven's Door (re-mastered). Parker, Phil. 1991.

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